couldn't prosecute him
wid these feelin's, barrin' I'd go against the Word."

"O'Drive," said Lucre, evidently mortified at Darby's obstinacy, "one of
two things is true; either you are utterly ignorant, perhaps, with every
disposition to know them, of the sanctions and obligations of religion,
or you are still a Papist at heart, and an impostor. I tell you, sir,
once more, that it is upon religious grounds that you ought to prosecute
this wild priest; because in doing so, you render a most important
service to religion and morality, both of which are outraged in his
person. You ought to know this. Again, sir, if you are a Protestant, and
have thoroughly cast Popery from your heart, you must necessarily be a
loyal man and a good subject; but if you refuse to prosecute him, you
can be neither the one nor the other, but a Papist and an impostor,
and I've done with you. If Mr. M'Clutchy knew, sir, that you refused
to prosecute a priest for such a violent outrage upon your person, I
imagine you would not long hold the situation of bailiff under him."

Darby looked into the floor like a philosopher solving a problem.
"I see, sir," said he, "I see--well--you have made that clear enough
sartinly; but you know, sir, how could you expect such deep raisoning
upon these subjects from a man like me. I see the duty of it now
clearly; but, when, sir, on the other hand if I prosecute him, what's to
become of me? Will you, sir, bear my funeral expenses?"

"Every penny, O'Drive," replied the other, eagerly. "Tut," he exclaimed,
checking himself, "I--I--I thought you meant the expenses of the
prosecution."

"It's much the same, sir," replied Darby, "the one will be sure to
follow the other. You know the state the country's in now, sir, and
how the people on both sides are ready to skiver one another about this
religion, and rents and tithes, and dear knows what besides. As it
is, sir," he proceeded, "you see that I dursn't walk the road without
these," and he produced the pistols as he spoke, "but what chance, sir,
would I have if I prosecuted a priest? Why, my life wouldn't be worth
two hours' purchase."

Mr. Lucre himself could not help feeling and admitting the truth of
this, but as he could devise no plan to obviate the dangers alluded to,
he still scrupled not to urge the prosecution.

"Sir," said Darby starting, as if a gleam of light had shot across his
brain, "a thought has just struck me, and I hope it was something from